Retro Music Review | Oldies, Reissues and New Releases with a Retro Sound

Bobby Darin - Mack is Back DVD (Questar; QD3180)

One of the earliest Bobby Darin DVDs ever released and still the best, Mack is Back showcases the many talents of the great Mr. Darin beautifully. The centerpiece of this disc is essentially a concert; an uncut version of the final episode of Darin’s 1972-73 TV variety series. This would also be the last time Darin stepped in front of a camera before his passing late in 1973, and so it has a unique resonance… READ MORE

DJ At’s Crazy Record Hop Presents: Foot Tappin’ & Dance At The Screamin’ Festival Vol. 1 (El Toro; ETCD 1017)

Organizers of rhythm and swing nights take note: here is the disc you need. This collection of rip roarin’ vintage dance tunes, issued by El Toro to honor the 10th Anniversary of Screamin’ Festival in Spain, is guaranteed to put a shimmy in your shake. There are rock tunes that swing, swing tunes that boogie, and boogie tunes that rock. In fact, there’s something for everyone who likes to move their tail… READ MORE

Jeff Potter - Great Big Beat (El Toro; ETCD 8010)

When Fats Domino sang “The big beat keeps you rockin’ in your seat,” he might as well have been talking about this CD. Jeff Potter’s Great Big Beat won’t just get you rockin’ in your seat — it’ll get you up on your feet and twistin’ in the street. Equal parts Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent, Potter is a tremblin’ boogie woogie dynamo. Bangin’ away at the piano, he hiccups out his raw, gut level rock and roll ditties… READ MORE

T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm - Let The Sweet Talk Flow (El Toro; El Toro R&B 205)

Dukes of Rhythm guitarist and vocalist “T-Bear” would be one of the finest young blues players in Chicago, if not for this simple fact: he’s not from Chicago. He’s from Sweden. His real name is Torbjörn Solberg, and he plays like a cross between B.B. King and Chuck Berry. His blues wail has a bit of an Elvis growl in it and his original songs are as badass as any of the classics… READ MORE

Gust Spenos Quartet - Swing Theory (Swing Theory LLC)

Hearing musicians play for the sheer fun of it is always a kick. And the Gust Spenos Quartet kicks like a mule. Deans of their own College of Musical Knowledge, tenor saxman Gust Spenos, pianist Marvin Chandler, bassist Frank Smith, and drummer Kenny Phelps lay down some deliciously vintage sounds on Swing Theory. Ably assisted by special guests Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Schneider, and Everett Greene, the Quartet takes on ten standards and two originals, addressing each tune with verve and style… READ MORE

Neil Diamond - Velvet Gloves And Spit (Rev-Ola; CR REV 238)

Neil Diamond has always been an interesting character. Too tough to be a pop guy, too pop to be a tough guy, he falls somewhere in between. His love songs have an edge. His edged songs are tempered by romance. This delicate balance is all over his brilliant 1968 LP, Velvet Gloves And Spit… READ MORE

Buzzcocks - Auf Wiedersehen (Cherry Red Films DVD; CRDVD003N)

The Buzzcocks have always been more pop than punk, a melodic anomaly on the late 1970s and early ’80s punk rock scene. This live set from 1981 shows them at the height of their popularity and power, singing songs of love and hate, fear and loathing, romance and madness. Pete Shelley’s sweet and sour vocals are fabulous, ripping through each tune. Ditto for Steve Diggle, who attacks every one of his songs with a fury… READ MORE

New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra - Grace And Beauty (Delmark; DE-214)

The New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra is a thing of Grace And Beauty indeed. Swedish pianist Lars Edegran hit upon a simple but brilliant idea, when, in 1967, he put together an ensemble to play ragtime with a New Orleans sensibility. The resulting sound was unique, charming, and altogether new… READ MORE

The Slammers Maximum Jive Band - Jive Time! (El Toro; ETCD 2036)

Lovers of old fashioned, swingin’ rhythm and blues, never fear — The Slammers are here! From across the pond comes one of the finest jive outfits in decades. There just aren’t enough superlatives in the English language to properly describe the immense cool of this group and this disc. A simple “wow” is way too little. A simple “holy mother of pearl this band is so good it’s criminal” doesn’t even do the job… READ MORE

Vince Seneri (on the Hammond B3 Organ) - The Prince’s Groove (Prince V Records; PVR-007)

There ain’t nothin’ like the real thing, and Hammond B3 master Vince Seneri is as real as they come. On The Prince’s Groove he not only grooves — he also swings, sways, and lays down some truly funky sounds. This marvelous set of Seneri-arranged standards and originals is bound to make any Hammond B3 fan stand up and shout… READ MORE